


overdrive

by mincubed



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-08 21:28:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17394035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mincubed/pseuds/mincubed
Summary: Johnny goes to get the drinks, and briefly contemplates getting Ten something that he hates just to spite him. Before he can order though, he sees something through the crowd that has him striding back to the table, face set in the most menacing expression that he can muster.





	overdrive

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this super quickly after a terrible date so it's probably got mistakes and things but enjoy :(

Johnny goes to get the drinks, only half-squeezing his way through the crowd because the one thing that his physique does give him is an intimidating enough aura that people will try and part to allow him through. That courtesy is, however, never extended whenever he happens to reach the bar. People at the bar tend to be vicious when it comes to drinks, and even Johnny's physical attributes aren't enough to scare people into giving up their place in the line or their desire for alcohol. Ten would probably have a much easier time of it, slight enough that he can cut the line, and a guileless face that tends to leave most people floundering. Ten is, unfortunately, also lazy, hates waiting around, and is good at manipulating his words in ways that make Johnny want to do what he's asked for him (not that he doesn't normally want to do those things for Ten anyway). All of these things combined are the reason why Johnny constantly finds himself halfway to the bar before he can even think about arguing about why it is always his turn to get the drinks.

He briefly contemplates getting Ten something that he hates just to spite him, but thinks better of it. Johnny doesn't want to risk an argument over something trivial like that, especially when they've made their resolution for the new year to be to try and fight less with one another. Johnny finds an empty space at the bar and leans against it, waiting for the bartender to get to him. He catches a glimpse of Taeyong and Jaehyun dancing close together in the crowd, Doyoung smiling and talking to some other nameless guys nearby who he seems to know. One of the other benefits to being as tall as he is is that it's easy for Johnny to dart his gaze over the tops of people's heads back over to their table. Ten is leaning forward in his seat, one elbow propped on the table as he checks his phone. Sicheng is ignoring Yuta's presence on his other side for the moment, leaning over briefly to hook his chin of Ten's shoulder and point out something on the screen which makes the both of them laugh. Johnny smiles and looks back at the bar. The bartender catches his eye and gestures that he'll be with Johnny in a minute.

When Johnny looks back, Yuta and Sicheng are gone, leaving Ten slouched back in his seat and still scrolling through something on his phone. Johnny furrows his eyebrows, and what he sees next has his mouth turning down.

There's a man sliding into the seat beside Ten, a few years older than them, and Johnny tenses. Ten shifts a little even as Johnny watches, keeping a distance between himself and the other man. The man leans in, elbow propped up on the table as he speaks to Ten. The expression on Ten's face changes, flickering into annoyance as he crosses his arms and snaps something back. It's not that Johnny is worried exactly, he's well aware that Ten is more than capable of dealing with creeps without needing Johnny to step in; it is, after all, not exactly an uncommon occurrence. It would be far more problematic if Taeyong noticed. For all that the two snipe at each other, they're also the best of friends and have always been fiercely protective of one another. Johnny remembers when he and Ten first started dating, Taeyong had waited until they were all at a party and Ten was distracted to drag him outside and threaten him, amongst stories of how people had always thought that Ten was easy, seeing only a pretty face and a lithe body. Johnny had promised that he would never let Taeyong down, would never hurt Ten like that. He likes to believe that he's been doing a pretty good job at keeping that promise over the past few years.

The man is getting too close now, deliberately sliding over in the booth and ignoring the way that Ten's face scrunches in disgust as he moves back. Much like a cat, Ten has always valued personal space, except for when he feels like seeking out affection, and he rolls his eyes, sharp reply falling from his lips when the man gestures towards the empty glasses on the table. Johnny can imagine it without being in hearing distance, short and cutting, something like he's not interested, his boyfriend is already getting him one, no thank you, get lost, scum. The man reaches up and strokes across Ten's cheek and Ten smacks his hand away, backing himself up against the wall.

"Hey, what can I—" The bartender starts, but Johnny is already pushing off the counter, striding back through the crowd, face set in the most menacing expression that he can muster.

The man has to be drunk, Johnny concludes, eyes narrowed as he watches him make another attempt at reaching for Ten's face. It's the only explanation that he can come up with for someone being so completely stupid so as to ignore the body language and the 'get the fuck away from me' air that Ten is emanating from every single part of him. The crowd parts instinctively for him, taking in the murderous expression on his face, and Ten pales with anger as the man continues his advances.

Johnny catches a glimpse of Taeyong and Jaehyun's startled and confused faces as he strides past them and across the room. His steps lengthen, moving faster as he sees the man grip Ten's wrist. Ten's face is tight, body trembling barely enough to be noticeable to anyone else but Johnny knows him. He very deliberately reaches up to grip the man's wrist with his own free hand. From the way that the man winces, Johnny can tell that Ten is digging his nails in between the tendons of his wrist, drawing out every syllable that he hisses scathingly into the other's face.

And yet, the man still doesn't back down, smirking down at Ten.

Johnny reaches the table.

It's the first time that Johnny has punched anyone all year. But considering that it's only about three weeks into the year, it probably doesn't really count for much. The man's head cracks off the wall and he slumps in his seat, dazed. Johnny winces, sucking in a breath, and shakes his hand out. Punching people hurts more than he expected it to.

Ten's stare moves from the slumped over man, his wrist still caught in his hand, and then to Johnny. He blinks a few times and then says, "What the fuck?"

Johnny just shrugs, massaging his knuckles, and feigning nonchalance. Jesus, how do people do that on a regular basis? Maybe Johnny should take some lessons. Not that he intends to be punching anyone regularly, but you know, situations happen sometimes. Ten looks down but Johnny catches the furious glint in his eyes.

Very, very slowly, Ten peels the man's fingers off his wrist, bending each finger back farther than natural as he does so. He leans in close as the man whimpers. "Can't say I didn't warn you. Next time, listen when someone tells you that they're not fucking interested."

Johnny offers out his hand, barely managing to contain his expressions to a wince as Ten grabs it. He probably should have thought before offering his injured hand out of instinct. Ten hauls himself over the man and out of the booth, stomping on his feet as he goes. The man lets out a low moan. Ten doesn't look like much, but Johnny's been stomped on before, though unintentionally, and he knows that Ten is a lot stronger, a lot tougher than he looks.

"Ten! Are you—?" Taeyong appears out of the crowd and grabs Ten by the shoulders, staring him in the face.

"Fine." Ten answers, looking right back into Taeyong's eyes. Taeyong seems to be appeased by whatever it is that he sees in Ten's face because he releases him and steps back to Jaehyun's side. And then the others are there too, Yuta and Doyoung and Sicheng, looking at the both of them with worried eyes.

"I think we're gonna go," Johnny says, glancing around, but luckily security hasn't seen anything yet, "before we get thrown out or something."

"We'll see you on Sunday?" Jaehyun asks, dimples making a quick appearance as he smiles slightly in question.

"Yeah, of course." Johnny assures him. "Wouldn't skip tradition for anything, you know."

"Text me!" Taeyong demands, looking at Ten. Ten just rolls his eyes, waving Taeyong off.

Johnny squeezes a little on Ten's hand as they start walking towards the exit, the crowds parting for them. Johnny accidentally catches the eye of one of the security guards and he grimaces a little, quickly looking away and tugging Ten along a little faster. Thank God Ten hadn't brought anything that needed to be cloaked because they're out of the door and walking away from the club before any of the security guards can catch on.

Ten stops him after they've made it around the corner and a block away, turning so that they're facing each other.

"You didn't need to do that. I could have handled it... I  _was_  handling it."

"I know." Johnny keeps his voice as even as possible, looking at Ten straight on. His hand is throbbing, caught between them in both of Ten's smaller ones. "But I wanted to."

Ten raises an eyebrow, looking down and pressing his fingers firmly on Johnny's injured hand. Johnny stifles a scream, face twisting with the pain. "I don't need you breaking your hand for me."

The next second though, Ten's pushing him back against the wall, arms around his shoulders and leaning up to kiss him hard, tongues flickering against one another. "It was kind of hot though," he murmurs and pulls back, wickedness in the curve of his lips.

Johnny smiles. He thinks that his hand might be broken or sprained or something, every bone in it hurts, but he still feels amazing.


End file.
